Hey, Listen
by HopelessDreamer56
Summary: Axel plans to finally confess to Roxas. However, Roxas cancels. Disappointed, Axel goes home and texts Demyx only to find out he's hanging with Roxas and Roxas's girlfriend! How does Axel react to this? AkuRoku, Zemyx, slight XiRoku/Fail summ/Mild language/100 Theme Challenge: Tradition


Every Sunday, Axel and Roxas would meet up at their favorite small café for coffee. If one couldn't make it, they'd meet up somewhere else; whether it was work or the other's house. Either way, Sunday equaled coffee. This tradition was precious, and it seemed like it would go on forever.

This time, though, Axel was going to make it special. Over the course of getting to know Roxas, Axel realized just how much he cared for the blonde. He knew that by doing this, he was risking his present relationship with Roxas; one he very much liked. But he just couldn't take it anymore. He wanted to have something more with his friend.

Axel took a seat at the corner booth of the café, the exact spot where he first met his angel.

*1234*

_Roxas took a seat in the corner booth, the farthest seat in the random café he just happened to walk into. What was he even doing there? He had no idea. All he knew was that this had to be the shittiest week in the history of shitty weeks. His girlfriend… He didn't even want to think about her right now. It was too painful. Why did bad things always happen to Roxas? It was like destiny or something…_

"_You okay?" Pulling out of his thoughts, Roxas looked up to meet emerald eyes and a head of flaming red hair. He got lost in those pools of green, his breath catching in his throat. "Hey, are you okay?" the man asked again, grabbing Roxas's shoulder and snapping him out of his trance._

"_Y-yeah, I'm fine," he said quickly, turning his gaze to the table._

"_Are you waiting for someone or are you alone?" the man asked, motioning to the other side of the booth._

"_Alone."_

"_Well, mind if I sit with you, then? I got an hour or so to kill."_

"_G-Go ahead," Roxas said, glancing at the man before him as he smiled and sat across from Roxas. "I'm Roxas."_

"_Name's Axel. A-X-E-L. Got it memorized?"_

_*_1234*

'_Best decision ever,'_ Axel thought, remembering that glorious day the blonde came into his life. Speaking of Roxas, he was late. Really late. Axel was about to call him when his phone went off with Roxas's ringtone. "Hey, where are you?"

"Hey, I'm sorry, Ax, but I don't think I'll be able to make it today…" Roxas said, a hint of sadness in his voice.

"What? Why? What's wrong?" Axel questioned. Roxas almost never cancelled unless it was an emergency.

"Nothing, I just… I have something I have to do. It _has_ to be done today; I can't get out of it. Can… Can we hang out tomorrow, instead?" Roxas hesitated.

Axel fell silent. '_He's… canceling….? But… today…'_ Axel sighed, giving up his plans for the day that he spent all morning worrying over, making sure he ran over every single detail. There goes all that. Great. "Y…Yeah, sure… Tomorrow," Axel stated, trying not to put his emotions in his voice, but failing miserably.

"Axel, I'm really sorry…" Roxas apologized.

"No, it's fine, I understand… See you," Axel said, abruptly ending the call before Roxas could say anything more. He quickly stood up and practically stormed out of the café, thinking he was on the brink of tears. Axel was already having a bad week, with the only thing he had to look forward to being Sunday and Roxas. Now that was gone and Axel was more pissed than ever. _'I guess today is really not my day…'_

Axel started walking back to his apartment. All hope of confessing to Roxas diminishing. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of his complex. Sighing, he stepped up to the third floor and knocked on the apartment next to his own. No answer. He knocked louder, trying to get the resident's attention. Still no answer. _'Great. The one time I actually want to talk to him and he's not home. Perfect. Just fucking perfect.'_

Giving up on trying to talk to his friend about his problems, he unlocked his own apartment and walked in, not bothering to turn any light on. He flopped onto the couch and plugged his earbuds in, turning his iPod's volume up all the way. Axel buried his face in a pillow as "Savin' Me" by Nickelback filled his ears. After a few moments he got bored, so he decided to text Demyx, the one he tried to talk to next door, and see what he was up to. Almost as soon as it was sent, Demyx replied.

"Nm, just hanging w/ Roxas and his friend Xion. U?" _'…Xion?' _Who was Xion? Roxas never mentioned that name before. So he asked Demyx. "Apparently a childhood friend. But to me it looks like they're REALLY close, if u catch my drift ;)"

'…_What? Roxas has a girlfriend? And he never told me?'_ Axel screamed in his mind, his phone going off again.

"U gonna be okay dude? Srry, I forgot about ur feelings…" Demyx apologized. Axel didn't bother sending a reply. He turned his phone off and chucked it across the room into the recliner placed against the wall, cursing loudly. Was he angry? Jealous? Just plain pissed off? Axel wasn't sure. All he knew was that it felt like someone just tore a giant hole in his heart and he felt like the world was ending. He once again buried his face in a pillow, turned the loudest song he had on and screamed. Tears streamed down his face, staining the thick fabric of the couch pillow. _'Roxas… I didn't even get a_ chance…'

*1234*

"No, it's fine, I understand… See you," Axel said, sadness evident in his voice.

"Axel!" Roxas called into the phone. But Axel already hung up. Roxas felt insanely bad about causing Axel any form of pain, but he just had to have today completely free. He was finally seeing his childhood friend after eight long months. His friend, Demyx, also finally had some time to hang out with them. Roxas was happy, but…

Before Roxas's thoughts could go back to a certain red-head he was struck from behind with something heavy suddenly being placed on his back that reeked of cologne. "Roxy~" Demyx squealed in Roxas's ear, glomping him from behind. "I missed you~!"

"Demyx!" Roxas exclaimed, turning to hug his friend. "God, how long has it been? Four, five months? How've you been?" he eagerly asked, happy to see his friend.

"Great! I wish we could've hung out more, but I've just been so busy lately. What with classes, band, my boyfriend, I just never had the time!" he exclaimed. Wait.

"Boyfriend? When'd you get a boyfriend?" Roxas said, completely shocked. Last time he saw Demyx, he was still getting over his break up with Saix.

"Shit, I should've told you, sorry. His name's Zexion. We got together about three and a half months ago. He's the sweetest guy ever! He's really shy, but is really passionate about what he cares about," Demyx explained, his expression softening as he spoke about Zexion. "Maybe I could introduce you to him one day."

"Yeah, that'd be cool!" Roxas agreed.

"So~" Demyx started, leaning in close to Roxas and throwing his arm over the younger blonde's shoulders. "Do you like anyone~?" he asked.

Roxas blushed a bit as a face came to his mind. "N-No, not really…" he poorly lied.

"Your face betrays your words, Roxas. Who is he? What's he like?" Demyx asked, grabbing Roxas's arm and bouncing up and down like a little kid.

"W-Well…" Before Roxas could say anything, something tapped on his shoulder. "X-Xion!"

"Hey, Roxas!" Xion greeted, wrapping her arms around Roxas's neck and pulling him into a big, long hug. Roxas wrapped his arms around his friend, hugging her tightly. "Roxas, I missed you so much!" she exclaimed.

"Me, too, Xion," Roxas said, smiling gently at her. He swore he would've cried right at that moment if only… shit! "Oh, Xion, this is my friend, Demyx. I'm pretty sure I told you about him," Roxas said, motioning to Demyx.

"Oh, you're the one in the kick-ass band, right? Roxas has told me so much about you! Nice to meet you, Demyx," Xion said, extending her hand, which Demyx gladly took in his own.

"Pleasure is all mine," he said, smiling at the shorter girl nicely. "So, what're the plans for today, Roxy?" Demyx asked.

"Anything Xion wants to do," he simply stated.

"R-Really? Roxas, we don't have to –" Xion tried to protest.

"No, Xion, you deserve it. Anything at all. So what do you want to do?" Roxas asked, placing a hand on Xion's shoulder and giving her the cutest smile ever.

"W-…Well…" Xion started, caving and mulling over things all three of them would enjoy. "That's it!" she exclaimed as the perfect idea came to her. "There's a music festival downtown! I saw the posters on my way here. Let's go to that!" she suggested hopefully.

"A music festival? How did I not know of this?" Demyx shouted, sounding crushed.

"When's the last time you actually paid attention to anything besides your sitar?" Roxas joked, making Xion giggled. Demyx started laughing with them, and soon they were all dying of laughter just for the hell of it. When they finally calmed down, Xion took Roxas's arm and held it close to her chest as they walked downtown.

Behind them, they heard Demyx's phone go off. "Ooo~ It might be Zexy!" he said, getting his hopes up. His huge smile quickly turned into a small frown as he pulled his phone out. "Axel? What could he want?" he pondered.

"Axel? You know Axel?" Roxas asked.

"Yeah, he's my next door neighbor, why?" Demyx answered casually, typing away on his phone.

"W-When the hell did you move out of your other apartment?" Roxas demanded. He and Demyx _seriously_ needed to catch up.

"Sorry, it's Zexion's apartment. I moved in a bit after we got together, but I've known Axel since college," he explained. "Wait… How do _you_ know Axel?"

"We met at a café about eight months ago. He's my… friend," Roxas said, pausing before he stated his relationship with Axel. As if he wasn't exactly sure what it was they were. Demyx noticed his hesitation, but decided against pointing it out, since Xion was there and obviously was clueless to Roxas's feelings. "What's he texting you about?"

"Hm? Oh, nothing really. Seems he just got bored, but whatever." Demyx said, snapping out of his thoughts. He noticed some emotion flash through Roxas's eyes, but just for a slight moment. Was it regret? Why? He'd have to ask Roxas about that later.

"Oh my god, this is so cool!" Xion exclaimed, bringing the boys' attention to their surroundings. Ever been to a summer festival in Japan? That's what this looked like, but filled with more music. Everything was lined up along the sides of a long street; walkways connecting to the main one, each leading to different sections with different genres of music being preformed by both professionals and rookies. Lights, hanging from wires and booths, lit up almost the whole park. It was just so…

"Oh my god!" Demyx practically screamed. Music was his life. Like, in a literal sense. He absolutely hated silence, which was probably why he talked so much. He pointed to a sign which directed guests to an area where rock music was being played. Underneath was a list of well known bands that were scheduled to appear. "Holy shit! Three Days Grace, The Killers, Paramore! These are the best bands ever! I need to bring Zexion here! He loves Three Days Grace!" Demyx exclaimed. God, how much sugar did he consume upon arrival?

Xion laughed at Demyx's energy, Demyx play-pouting in response. Roxas smiled. He loved moments like these, where he's with people he cares about and they were happy. But then again… it just didn't feel right. His thoughts turned back to Axel_. 'Would he still be upset? Would he be mad that I didn't let him tag along? …Wait… Why didn't I let_ _Axel come? What the hell was I thinking?'_ A look of frustration replaced his smile, guilt eating away at his happiness. _'Oh, right… There's something I need to take care of… Damn, if only that day never happened… But then I probably would never have met him… Gah! I can't think straight…' _

"What's wrong, Roxas? Who're you thinking of?" Xion asked, poking Roxas's face.

"Nothing's wrong, Xion. What makes you think I'm thinking of someone?" he asked, taking Xion's hand back in his own as they started to follow Demyx towards the stages.

"Because I've known you long enough to know. So who is it?" She had a point. Roxas let out a sigh. But before he could admit his wandering thoughts, Demyx shouted at them to hurry up; something about his favorite song starting. What was up with all the interruptions? Roxas shrugged it off for now. "Tell me later, 'kay?" Roxas nodded and they left hand in hand to enjoy the music.

*1234*

Axel curled up on the couch; blankets and pillows ripped off his bed and used to a build a huge nest of softness around his body. He was seriously considering drinking the last twenty or so beers in his fridge, but he simply couldn't afford getting more right now. He had his earbuds in, one song on repeat, and had been listening to it almost all day.

"Somehow I found a way to get lost in you. Let me inside. Let me get close to you. Change your mind. I'll get lost if you want me to. Somehow I found a way to get lost in you…" Axel sang quietly in an attempt to somehow cheer himself up. It wasn't working so well. Well it was better than being stuck in silence with nothing but painful thoughts, so he continued to listen. He barely heard someone banging on his door.

"Axel! Axel, c'mon! Axel, I know you're in there!" Demyx shouted outside the door. Axel pulled out his earbuds and groaned.

"Demyx, please just leave me alone!" Axel shouted back, throwing one of his many pillows at the door. He glanced over to his microwave across the room for the time; a little after midnight. What the hell could Demyx possibly want this late at night? Some fucking Oreos?

"Dude, I need to talk to you!" Obviously, he wasn't to give up any time soon. Axel somehow managed to un-bundle himself from his mass of fluff and stagger to the door, practically yanking it open. He glared down at Demyx to show how pissed he was but Demyx, quickly recovering from the shock of the door being thrown open, showed no fear. "Finally! …Dude, are you okay?" Demyx motioned to Axel's face, which was a bit pale, with bloodshot eyes and cheeks stained with tears. _'How did this happen in barely one day?'_

"I-I'm fine. Now what do you want?" Axel irritably asked, looking away from Demyx's slightly worried expression.

"Can I come in?" he asked, trying to make eye contact with his friend.

"Whatever," Axel shrugged, turning around and retuning to his nest, Demyx closing the door and following.

"Why's it so dark in here if you're awake?" Axel looked back at him, giving him the "Are-you-fucking-retarded?" look. Demyx blushed in embarrassment and looked away.

"Again, what do you want, Demyx? Do you want Oreoes? Cuz I have Oreos," Axel asked, curling back in his blankets.

"No, I don't want Oreos. I was wondering if you were going to hang out with Roxas tomorrow." Axel froze. Was he? Would Axel be able to handle facing Roxas just after his heart got shattered?

"Is that where you were all day? I noticed it was quiet, for once. No, I probably won't be, why?"

"Yeah, you see… today he…" Demyx started, sorting out his words. "He…"

"He what?"

"He… looked really upset…" _'But only when you were brought up,'_ Demyx added to himself, deciding not to tell Axel for the moment. Axel sat up, instantly interested. "He was fine around me and Xion, but –"

"Don't say that name…" Axel interrupted, losing interest almost immediately.

"What?"

"Please. Don't say that name around me," Axel flatly said, giving his friend a glare that said he would tear his head off if that name was mentioned. Demyx's eyes widened slightly in fear.

"Okay… Moving on, you really should hang out with him tomorrow. Get him to talk. Xi- We couldn't get him to," Demyx moved on, quickly correcting himself from almost saying Xion's name. "He kept saying he was fine, but when we looked away he looked like someone just kicked his puppy in front of a moving truck."

Axel just looked at him_. 'What could he possibly be upset over? Wait, why the hell do I care? He's the one who needs to open up, especially if he has a girlfriend. And I sure as_ _hell am not going to help him!'_ "Well, that's too bad," he mumbled, puling a blanket over his head.

"Axel!" Demyx shouted, yanking the blanket off the stubborn red-head. "He's your friend, too, isn't he?"

"So what?" Axel shouted, standing up and glaring at Demyx. He looked on the brink of tears, Demyx noted. "Not like Roxas gives a shit! I don't even want to be his friend! You know what I want to be with Roxas and you know full fucking well that it'll never be that way! So what's the point?" Axel remarked, sadness dulling his eyes.

"B-But Axel, that's just it! Roxas-!"

"Just shut up already, Demyx!" Axel shouted, his voice cracking and tears starting to flow down his face. Axel did nothing to stop them. "Just… please go…" he quietly asked.

"Axel…" Demyx started, about to put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Just GO!" he yelled, slapping Demyx's hand away. Axel started shaking slightly, quiet sobs racking his lean frame. Demyx hung his head in embarrassment causing the strong Axel to actually cry. Axel obviously wasn't going to listen to anything Demyx had to say. There was only one person. The problem was getting them to meet. And soon.

- [Earlier that night…]

Demyx looked down at his watch then stopped just short of Roxas and Xion, who was holding onto Roxas's hand tightly and lovingly. "Guys, I'd better get going. Zexion'll be coming home soon and I want to tell him about the festival," Demyx said.

"This late? What's he been doing?" Xion asked.

"He works a bookstore sometimes," he said, looking at Roxas instead of Xion. Roxas didn't really talk all night and he looked like he was going to break down in tears at any minute. '_I know he's not going to say anything. Better go talk to Axe,'_ Demyx thought. "Well, I'll see you later, Rox. Nice meeting you, Xion."

"You, too, Demyx," Xion smiled. Demyx waved goodbye, turning around and heading home.

"Demyx is a cool guy," Xion mumbled as soon as Demyx was out of sight and she was left alone with Roxas. She glanced over to Roxas, who's head was hung low and eyes hidden by long honey-blonde bangs. "Roxas?" she asked. Apparently, he didn't hear her. "Roxas, are you okay?" she asked again, gripping his hand a bit tight. Roxas shook his head a bit, snapping out of his trance-like state, and looked at Xion.

"Hm? Did you say something?" he asked, looking slightly confused.

"Roxas… Who've you been thinking about all day?" Xion asked; worry in her voice and on her face.

"…No one, Xion," he sweetly responded, plastering a smile on his face and squeezing her hand back gently.

Xion snapped her hand away, glaring at her boyfriend. "Dammit, Roxas, stop lying to me!" she snapped. "I finally come back and all you can do is stare off into space and think of someone else!" Her shoulders started shaking a bit and her eyes became misty and filled with rage and hurt.

"Xion…" Roxas said, not knowing what to say.

"Don't… Don't you understand what I've been trying to tell you all day?" she mumbled, her voice just over a whisper.

"Understand what?" Roxas wasn't sure he liked where this conversation was going. He knew Xion still had feelings for him but that was originally supposed to end…

"That I love you, you idiot!" she shouted, throwing her arms around Roxas's neck and crashing her lips onto his in a forceful kiss. Roxas, shocked, didn't move a muscle. Didn't even attempt to push her away. Just stood there. Xion noticed and stepped back, trying to look into Roxas's eyes. He just looked at his shoes. "Roxas…?" she asked warily, her voice trembling and tears streaming down her pale cheeks.

"Xion… I'm sorry…" he said solemnly, looking away and to the ground. He couldn't bear to see Xion's expression.

"What… Who… Who is she, Roxas…?" she asked. Roxas didn't answer. "Roxas, talk to me, please!" she practically begged.

"…Xion… You see… On that day… I… I was going to break up with you…." Roxas practically whispered. Xion still heard it.

"What?" she screeched, making Roxas cringe. "Why? You let me be flirty and everything all day when you don't even like me!"

"Xion… I do like you… Just not that way anymore… I felt bad about what happened.. and I wanted to make it up to you somehow…." Roxas said, still not making any form of eye contact with the short-haired girl in front of him.

"So it was a _pity date_, then?" she screeched, her voice getting higher with each word.

"….." How could Roxas explain?

"…Why, Roxas?" she whispered, taking a risk and stepping a bit closer to the blonde. "…Weren't you happy with me…?"

"I was, Xion…"

"Then-!"

"Because…!" Roxas snapped, cutting her off. "Because there really is someone else… I just can't forget about him…" Xion's hands flew to her mouth in a gasp as fresh tears streamed down her face. Roxas gripped Xion's chin, forcing her to look into his equally blue eyes. He kissed the tears on her cheeks away, placing one last gentle kiss on her lips. "Goodbye, Xion."

Roxas turned to leave, but just before he turned the corner, Xion called out. "Roxas!" He turned to look at Xion. Despite the amount of emotional pain she must've been in, she managed to put a small smile on her face. "Can we still get ice cream together sometime?"

Taken aback, Roxas still managed to give her a small smile. "Sure."

*1234*

Axel annoyingly woke up to his phone going off. He looked over to the time, groaning and pulling his covers over his head. Almost 7:30 AM. Who the hell would call this early? Not bothering to check the caller ID, Axel pressed button and set the phone to his ear. "What…?" he asked, clearly pissed.

"Oh, were you sleeping, Axel? Sorry," Roxas said. Axel froze, holding his breath. "I just wanted to make sure we were still having coffee today…?" he warily asked.

Axel couldn't. He just couldn't face Roxas after yesterday. It was hard enough just talking to him. "No… No, I don't think I'll be able to make it today…" he said, using Roxas's words. "I'm not feeling too well…" Well it wasn't a complete lie.

"What? What's wrong? Should I come over?" Roxas asked, worry evident in his voice. Axel couldn't stand it.

"No, no, Roxas… Don't want you getting sick, too," Axel said, fake coughing for emphasis. "We'll get some this weekend, okay?"

"Y-Yeah, sure…" Roxas mumbled. "Axel, are you sure you're going to be okay?" His concern just drew Axel over the edge.

"Roxas, I'm fine!" Axel snapped, yelling into the receiver. "Just go play with your stupid girlfriend and stop acting like you care about me! Just leave me the hell alone!" He quickly hung the phone up and threw it across the room, not really caring where it landed. Tears stained his pillow as he screamed into it. Why did he do that? He was so upset and confused. Now Roxas would never want to talk to Axel ever again…

This is what Roxas did to Axel. He was ripping Axel up from the inside out and there was no way to stop it…

*1234*

"Just leave me the hell alone!" Axel shouted, hanging up before Roxas could actually comprehend what Axel said.

"Axel!" Roxas cried as the call ended. "Axel!" he cried again as if Axel was going to respond if he just kept calling his name. _'Axel…'_ Salty tears came to his eyes as his phone fell out of his and onto his bedroom floor. He just didn't understand. Did Axel know about Xion? How? Either way, Axel was clearly seriously hurt and upset and he wouldn't even give Roxas a chance to explain and comfort the red-head.

His phone went off again just as he started crying harder. Roxas dove for the phone, quickly answering. "Axel! Ax, please just give me a chance to explain!" he begged.

"Roxas? What happened?"

"Demyx…?" Roxas suddenly felt very embarrassed. He regretted not checking the caller ID.

"Yeah… Roxas, you should come over. Like, now," Demyx said.

"Why?" Roxas asked, quickly wiping his face with his sleeve and controlling his breathing, trying not to start crying again.

"You want to talk to Axel, right? So get over here." Did Demyx somehow understand what was going on? Roxas decided to take the chance that he did and knew how to help him.

"Fine… I'll be over soon, Dem."

*1234*

Demyx swung the door open as soon as he heard Roxas knock. "Roxas! There you are!" he exclaimed, grabbing Roxas's sleeve and practically dragging him into his apartment. It was actually a lot cleaner than Roxas expected. Clothes weren't littering the floor; the sink wasn't piled with dirty dishes and ramen cups; and instead of week old pizza, the room smelled like… lilac? What the hell?

"Demyx, who was at the door?" a voice called from the other room. A bathroom, Roxas guessed.

"My friend Roxas! I told you about him last night! C'mere and say hi!" Demyx excitedly called back.

"Let me find a shirt and I'll be right out," the voice responded.

"Who's that?" Roxas asked, pulling his arm back.

"My Sexy Zexy~," Demyx said, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Don't call me that," a monotone voice requested. Roxas looked over to see a boy slightly taller than himself, a towel ruffling his slate-colored hair that covered one side of his face. He must've just taken a shower.

"Zexy, this is Roxy. Roxy, this is Zexy," Demyx smiled, gesturing to both males in introduction.

"Zexion," the slate-haired boy said, holding out his hand to Roxas.

"Roxas," he said, taking his hand and shaking it. "So I take it you've actually thought of something, Dem?"

"Hey, I'm trying to be nice here and help you! And yes, I did. Just go talk to him and explain," he simply stated. He said it as if it was common sense and Roxas was just stupid.

"What the… It's as simple as that? No way," Roxas said in pure disbelief. There was just no possible way….

"Of course. The hard part's getting Axel to listen," Zexion stated. It was true. Axel was like a little kid; if he didn't want to listen to something, he wasn't going to listen. But this time, Roxas was going to make Axel listen. After that…

"I'll give it a shot," Roxas said semi-confidently.

"Just try to be quiet when you make up okay? Don't want another noise complaint," Demyx joked. "We get enough of those because of Zexy."

"D-Demyx! Shut up!" Zexion whined, blushing deep red. Demyx started laughing as he walked out the door, Roxas tailing behind. Demyx walked over to the apartment and practically banged his fist on the door. He nodded his good luck then went back to his own room. Roxas turned his attention back to the door, waiting for an answer that took way too long to come. Roxas was just about to knock again when the door was flung open.

"For the last time, Demyx! Just leave me-!" Axel shouted, freezing when he realized it wasn't Demyx at his door. "Roxas…?"

To sum up Axel's appearance, only one thing came to Roxas's mind: he looked like shit. He had a pair of loose jeans barely being held around his waist by a lazily tied belt. His pale chest was completely exposed from the lack of a shirt and his hair lacked its usual spark. "Axel… What happened?"

Axel opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it. What was he supposed to say? Would Roxas even listen after what Axel said not even an hour and a half ago? "Axel…?" Roxas asked, bringing Axel out of his moment of distress. "Can I come in and… talk to you for a bit?" Wait… what? Roxas still wanted to talk? The fuck? Slowly, Axel nodded his head and moved to the side to allow Roxas access to his home.

It was dark in Axel's apartment; the only light coming from a desk lamp. The room reeked of incense, the only thing that could ever calm Axel down when he was upset. _'Now I feel even more like shit…'_ Roxas thought almost out loud. Roxas followed Axel over to the couch, where he moved pillows upon pillows and blankets upon blankets out of the way so they could sit. They sat in uncomfortable silence for what seemed like forever; Axel curled up with his knees to his chest and Roxas all the way on the other side of the couch.

"Roxas… I'm seriously sorry… about earlier," Axel mumbled, breaking the ice between himself and the blonde. He took a throw pillow and hugged it close to his body, afraid he would start breaking down if he had nothing to hold onto. "I didn't mean to snap on you like that…"

"It's okay…" Roxas mumbled back. "Axel, can… can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it…?" Axel half didn't want to know.

"_Why_ did you snap like that?" 'Shit. What am I supposed to tell him? I can't tell him the truth… but… I also can't lie to him…'

"I…" Axel started, getting his thoughts together. After a few moments, he spoke again. "I… Roxas, I… I was… jealous," he mumbled into the pillow.

"What?" Roxas asked, scooting a bit closer. Did he hear him right?

"I was jealous…" he murmured a little bit louder.

"What? Axel, please move the freaking pillow," Roxas said, moving to take the pillow from Axel's grasp.

"I was jealous, alright!" Axel shouted, chucking the pillow across the room at the wall and shocking Roxas for a second. "…Look… I have to tell you something… I don't care what happens afterwards… but I just want you to know…" Axel said, hanging his head in defeat. "….I… I really like you, Roxas… I have liked you… from the first time I saw you…" he confessed. He didn't even notice Roxas scooting closer with each word Roxas said. "I'm sorry if this shocks or confuses you but – " Axel was cut off from pressure suddenly being applied to his lips. Axel opened his eyes to meet closed ones.

Roxas was kissing him.

Roxas broke away first. Axel looked into his eyes, noticing tears flowing out of them. "I like you, too, Axel…" he said over Axel's lips.

"Oh god, Roxas! Why're you crying? Wait, why did you kiss me! Don't you have a girlfriend? I thought you were straight!" Axel exclaimed.

"Bi, actually," Roxas giggled, enjoying Axel's reaction. "I used to have a girlfriend," he corrected.

"You mean… Xion?" Axel asked. He still didn't like that name very much.

"Yeah… I meant to break up with her a long time ago but… something happened…" Roxas said, scooting away from Axel and pulling his legs up to his chest. "If you want… I could tell you about it…" He highly doubted Axel would actually want to listen to Roxas's little tale.

"Only if you want to tell me. I'm not going to force you. But if you do," Axel pulled Roxas over to him, setting Roxas on his lap and nuzzling his nose in his hair, "then you have to let me hold you like this."

"W-Well… okay then…" Roxas blushed. "Well…" he began, "this actually took place about a week before I met you. I planned on breaking up with Xion because she became way too clingy and wanted way too much from me. But I'm not the kind of guy to just dump a girl and let her cry. So I took her on one last final date. I went full out on it and it was an amazing night."

Roxas nudged a bit closer to Axel. He really didn't like talking about his past with Xion, but if he wanted to have any kind of future relationship with Axel (which he did) then he needed to put Xion behind him and move on.

"I was walking her home," Roxas continued, "but I wasn't holding her hand, since I was trying to hint my intentions first. We were crossing a street and I was walking a few steps ahead of her. A drunk driver came down the street and ran the red light. I didn't see it, but Xion did… Long story short, I got away with some minor scratches and bruises and Xion… she's been in a coma for the past eight months…" Roxas looked to be on the verge of tears as he gripped tightly onto Axel's shirt. "It was my fault… I should've held her hand, Axel!"

Axel wrapped his arms tightly around Roxas, letting him know he was still there, and started rocking back and forth slightly. "Roxas… Roxas, it's not your fault," he whispered in the younger blonde's ear.

"Axel… I broke up with her last night…." Roxas said.

"Well that's good, I take it?"

"I guess… I mean, I don't want to date her anymore… but I just feel so bad…" Roxas started trembling slightly.

"Did she hold it against you or something?"

"No… but that's the thing… she should've! I told her everything and she still wanted to be my friend!" Roxas said.

"And what's wrong with that?"

"Axel, I don't deserve it! I let her get hurt! I'm the one who should've been hit with a fucking truck!" Roxas exclaimed, tears now streaming freely down his cheeks.

"Roxas…" Axel said. He wanted to say something to Roxas but he immediately cut the red head off with another statement.

"Besides it wouldn't matter… No one would miss me…." he mumbled into Axel's shirt.

"Roxas, that's not true! Axel exclaimed, tightening his grip a bit on Roxas. "I would… Were you not listening when I said I liked you…? That means I would do anything for you… Even miss you... Hell, I would die if you left me!" Axel swore.

"Axel… Do you really mean that…?" Roxas asked half-heartedly.

"Of course I do… Roxas, promise me you will never say anything like that again… You are my world… my light… I don't know what I would do without you…" he admitted.

"Axel…" Roxas looked up to his red head, tears streaming down both their cheeks. "Axel, look at me…" Axel opened his emerald eyes to stare into Roxas's deep ocean blue ones. Roxas tilted his head up a bit, his lips meeting Axel's in a gentle kiss. Axel kissed back, but with a bit more force, changing the cute, gentle kiss into a more passionate one. His tongue licked Roxas's bottom lip, asking for entrance that was gladly granted. They fought for dominance for a moment, but Axel quickly won as he freely explored the younger male's mouth.

'_Oh god… he tastes so good. He's an amazing kisser…'_ Axel thought as he broke the kiss apart, but only to lay Roxas on his back and hover over him. He reclaimed Roxas's lips as his fingers ghosted over the small amount of skin exposed on Roxas's stomach. Roxas shivered and let a small mewl into Axel's mouth. Axel chuckled. "Roxas, you're so cute."

Roxas's blush deepened, but he smiled. "You're cuter," he giggled.

"I'm not cute, I'm drop dead sexy," Axel corrected.

Roxas giggled. "Mmm… No argument there," he purred, reclaiming Axel's lips in another heated kiss. Axel slowly moved his hand up Roxas's shirt more, Roxas moaning.

Suddenly, the front door to Axel's apartment was kicked open, scaring the shit out of the tow kissing boys. Axel and Roxas quickly pulled away from each other and jumped to different ends of the couch, blushing like crazy. "Aha! I told you so, Zexion! Now pay up!" Demyx exclaimed, pointing excitedly to the Axel and Roxas.

"Demyx? What the hell!" Axel shouted. "What are you doing here?"

"I bet you guys wouldn't last five minutes without being all over each other. Zexion bet ten. I obviously won the bet, so now Zexy has to pay up!" Demyx explained, holding his waiting hand out to Zexion, who pulled a five out of his wallet and placed it in Demyx's hand.

"At least I had the decency to give you guys a longer time," Zexion pointed out.

"You guys are assholes, you know that, right?" Roxas said, crossing his arms and pouting.

"Well I'm an asshole who's five bucks richer!" Demyx smirked.

"You little – " Axel threatened, getting up and chasing Demyx out of the apartment and to god knows where.

"Next time, at least _try_ to prolong the inevitable," Zexion smiled to Roxas.

"I'll think about it," he smile back, the blush still on his face. _'So much better than coffee.'_

* * *

**100 Theme Challenge: Tradition  
Took. So. Long.  
Longest thing I've ever written by myself, I believe.  
Accomplishment, I have made.  
2000 Exp. Points. Level up.  
Song Axel sings: "Lost In You" by Three Days Grace.  
Characters (c) to Sqeenix and Kingdom Hearts  
Music and bands (c) to respective owners.  
Story (c) me.  
Fav, R&R, all that jiz. Hope you liked it ^^**_  
_


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